This study is about three interwar transformational American military leaders: Maj Gen John A. Lejeune, Marine Corps Commandant; Admiral William A. Moffett; and William "Billy" Mitchell. This 20-year interlude between the world wars marked a time of great social, economic, political, and technological change in the developed world.

During his tenure as Commandant, General Lejeune would make visionary decisions that not only changed the culture of the Marine Corps, but would also lay the foundation for the development of amphibious warfare that set the groundwork for the successes enjoyed during World War II and beyond. His far reaching actions are still felt in the Marine Corps today.

Capt. Albert Ball (DSO & two Bars, MC & VC) was the first British flying ace in WW1 to achieve 44 aerial combat victories. He was a highly decorated pilot, who was bestowed with many honours during his short life, including the Croix de Chevalier Legion d'honneur from France, and the Order of St George from Russia. Albert had a major input over the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Arras.

A tribute to RAF No. 617 Squadron. The brave young men, who breached Germany's industrial dams in the Ruhr Valley in May 1943. 'Operation Chastise' was the most famous air operation in WW2. In 1955 the 'Dam Busters' film burst across cinema screens across the world to national acclaim. The daring exploits of Guy Gibson and Squadron 617 were forever immortalised as 'The Dam Busters.'

The principal countries that would go on to comprise both the Triple Entente (France, Russia and the United Kingdom), and the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy) in World War I, signed this document, and so were bound by international law to abide by it.

Arnold Crabtree was a WW1 British Sniper, who became a war hero at 21. During the Great War German snipers executed mass killings along the trenches of Flanders and France. The British army hit back with their own division of snipers. Arnold was a young mill worker from Rochdale, England, who sailed to France eager for action and adventure. This is his story.

The First World War Fact Book offers up 1.568 facts on the war to end all wars. Split into nineteen sections including weapons, infantry battles, trench warfare, casualties, the main combatants and more, The First World War Fact Book gives a unique perspective on a war that shaped the 20th Century.
Why are there 1,568 facts? Read the first fact in the book to find out!

The First World War, fought between 1914 and 1918, was one of the deadliest conflicts in history. More than 16 million people were killed. Soldiers were mown down by machine guns or they were choked to death by poison gas. Civilians were blown to pieces by bombs dropped from giant airships. Ocean liners were sunk by torpedoes, leaving passengers to drown in the icy waters of the Atlantic.

The First World War was one of the defining events of the 20th century. It was supposed to be the war to end all wars but instead it had disastrous repercussions, some of which are still reverberating today. A direct line can be drawn from the end of the First World War to the rise of Nazi Germany and to the beginning of the Second World War.

The battles of World War I were fought on an unprecedented scale. Both sides made use of industrial technology to inflict horrendous numbers of casualties on the other and armies composed of millions of men confronted each other in cataclysmic encounters, the like of which had never been seen before.

The use of spies during war has a very long history, going back to the beginnings of warfare itself. In The Art of War, which is believed to have been written in the sixth century BCE, the Chinese general and military strategist Sun Tzu wrote about the advantages to be gained from knowing your enemy and stressed the importance of cultivating those people who were in a position to spy on them.

This fifth volume of Letters by John Seymour Lindsay takes us from the end of May 1916 to December 1917. From Bienvilliers to the presentation of his Distinguished Conduct Medal and Commission in the field, to the hell of the Battle of Gommecourt, hospitalisation, further training, heavy shelling resulting in his injury at Leuze Wood and final recuperation at Osborne House, Isle of Wight.

This Third Volume of Letters by John Seymour Lindsay takes us from the end of May to the end of October 1915. The Letters describe his release from Hospital and journey to London for a quick marriage, to training in Rouen, St Omer and Calais before moving up to the Belgium border and Cassel, Bourgbourg, Bergues, Wormhout and Watten, in preparation for a new excursion to The Front.

This Fourth Volume of Letters takes us from November 1915 to the end of April 1916 and plots his journey up to Poperinghe again via Cassel, Bergues, Gezaincourt and Magincourt sur Canche and his rapid promotions to Corporal, Lance Sgt and Sgt, and to the offer of a commission. In mid March the London Gazette published his Citation for gallantry with the award of his Distinguished Conduct Medal.

This Second Volume of Letters by John Seymour Lindsay takes us from his February 1915 journey to the trenches and the Barricade, injury and recuperation, his return to Ploegsteert and The Front, the horrors of trench and gas warfare, the Battle of St Julien in the Second Battle of Ypres, to his injury and visit to hospital in Rouen. Each vivid letter is accompanied by a full transcription.

This First Volume of Letters by John Seymour Lindsay takes us from enlistment in the London Rifle Brigade, training in the City, to Southampton and embarkation for Le Havre. After training in France, JSL describes his journey to the Ploegsteert Sector in Belgium, working three days in a week at The Barricade and building the Front Line trenches. Each letter is accompanied by a full transcription.